Scroll down for all the updates and analysis from the debate and
'spin room' in Cambridge.

22:02 — ADAM PAYNE'S SNAP VERDICT

Our Political Editor Adam Bienkov picked Plaid's Leanne Wood as
the winner. What about Political Reporter Adam Payne?

"Just like in the ITV debate in Salford a few weeks ago, I
thought Caroline Lucas and Leanne Wood had very good nights. They
both dealt the Conservatives some bruising lines throughout the
evening. Corbyn had a decent evening and received some large
rounds of applause for his attacks on austerity. However, I
thought he struggled to provide a coherent answer on the question
of free movement and immigration, which is one of the
issues of the Brexit debate. Rudd held her own for the most part
but was unable to effectively explain away Theresa May's absence.
The prime minister's no show hung over the debate from first
minute to last."

21:54 — HOW THE PARTY SPINNERS ARE REACTING

Here's the latest from Business Insider's Adam Payne who is
currently in the green room talking to politicians and press
officers.

"Corbyn's circle pleased. They feel he got his pitch across
well & Rudd was unable to explain away Theresa May's
absence.

Lib Dems buoyant again. "He smashed it," spokesman
says.

Team UKIP are very pleased. They believe Nuttall did much
better than last time and he said what "everyone at home actually
thinks".

21:52 — TOP POLLSTER: THE DEBATE WON'T IMPACT THE
POLLS

YouGov's Joe Twynam just told us that he saw "nothing in the
debate" that will have a major impact on public opinion.

21:50 — ADAM BIENKOV'S SNAP VERDICT

Business Insider Political Editor Adam Bienkov gives his verdict
on tonight's debate.

1. Theresa May's non-appearance looks like a
mistake

The conventional wisdom in Westminster at the start of the
election campaign was that Theresa May was wise to skip televised
election debates because her party's apparently unassailable
lead in the opinion polls meant there was simply no need for her
to risk taking part. One month on, and with some projections
suggesting
she could actually lose seats in this election, and that
conventional wisdom now doesn't look so sharp. Tonight May,
and her understudy in Amber Rudd, came under repeated attack from
her rivals for her failure to show. If there is any message that
comes out clearly from tonight's event it will be that.

The Labour leader got a number of big rounds of applause tonight,
particularly for his populist attacks on the government's record.
However, he also came under repeated attack from his rivals,
particularly for his position on Brexit and freedom of movement.
He failed to close those attacks down. Corbyn also fell back on
his habit of snapping "can you let me finish" at his opponents.
It wasn't a good look.

3. Leanne Wood was the star of the show

If there is one big winner tonight it was Plaid Cymru's leader
Leanne Wood. She was sharp, likeable and had some of the best
lines of the night. Her attack on UKIP's Paul Nuttall for his
refusal to pay any Brexit bill drew particular admiration, even
from her rivals. Her performance tonight should
boost Plaid's hopes in this election.

Farron agrees. "How dare Theresa May!" he says. He adds that he's
determined to "build a country" that is fit the next
generation.

"Not so much the Iron Lady, more like the U-turn queen,"
Robertson says about May. Ouch.

20:45 — NUTTALL: "WE SHOULD PUT BRITAIN FIRST"

Asked on how he'd deal with US President Trump — who reportedly
plans to pull America out of the Paris climate change agreement —
the UKIP leader says "he's putting America first and,
frankly, I think we should put Britain first as well."

Rudd says she is "disappointed" by President Trump's
decision. "Tell him he's wrong," Wood yells at Rudd.

A row erupts on stage on how to deal with terrorism. Corbyn says
he is apalled by the language Nuttall is using to describe
Britain's muslim population.

"Are Hamas still your friends?" Nuttall yells back at the Labour
leader.

20:36 — PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE?

Farron and Corbyn take questions from the studio audience in
Cambridge.

PA /
BBC

20:35 — WHY ARE THE TORIES SELLING ARMS TO SAUDI
ARABIA?

Lucas and Nuttall form a short-lived alliance to question Rudd on
why the government is still selling arms to Saudi Arabia despite
Saudi money going to British mosques where people are being
radicalised.

20:33 — PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO CALL TERRORIST ATTACKS FOR
WHAT THEY ARE

UKIP leader Nuttall says the Manchester attack was an example of
"Islamist extremism" but the rest of the leaders of the panel are
afraid to admit it.

20:30 — RUDD CRITICISES CORBYN'S VOTING RECORD ON TERROR
LEGISLATION

The Home Secretary says it's "chilling" that the Labour leader
has voted against numerous pieces of anti-terror legislation
since being in parliament.

Corbyn points out that both Theresa May and Brexit Secretary
David Davis have voted against this sort of legislation and says
he voted against these laws as "there should be judicial
oversight".

20:22 — FARRON: "THE NHS IS PERSONAL TO ME, NOT
POLITICAL"

Lib Dem leader Farron says the NHS has played a big part in his
life and fears it is suffering greatly as a result of
Conservative cuts.

Both Corbyn and Robertson challenge Rudd to confirm whether a
Tory government would guarantee the triple lock to pensions and
protect the winter fuel allowance. The Home Secretary refuses to
make these guarantees.

20:16 — HOUSE OF CARDS MOCKS THERESA MAY

A new series of Netflix political drama House Of Cards came out
earlier this week.

They brains behind the hit series have a message for Prime
Minister May...

Ouch. Robertson says he never thought he'd see the day that
Labour adopts the immigration policies of UKIP.

He adds that Corbyn should advocate the free movement of people,
not seek to scrap it.

20:03 — ANGUS ROBERTSON: "THIS DEBATE DEMEANS
US"

The SNP's spokesperson for the evening says the debate currently
being had by the party leaders about migration should "shame and
demean" them. He then attacks the Tory government for not
guaranteeing the residence rights of EU nationals currently
living in Britain.

Lucas says the strains felt by public services is a result of
austerity, not inward migration.

19:57 —FARRON ACCUSES NUTTALL OF "DEMONISING
IMMIGRANTS"

Strong stuff from the Lib Dem leader. He says the abuse of ethnic
minorities since the Manchester terrorist attack is partially a
result of politicians like Nuttall demonising immigrants.

Matt Frost/ITV via Getty
Images

19:51 — CORBYN ASKS RUDD: "HAVE YOU BEEN TO A FOOD
BANK?"

Corbyn goes on the offensive against Rudd. The Labour leader asks
the Home Secretary if she has ever visited a food bank or seen
homeless people sleeping behind train stations.

Corbyn and Rudd clash over welfare cuts to the disabled. Rudd
says governments don't have a "money tree" and need to make
sensible decisions. Corbyn points out that the Tories have taken
welfare payments away from the disabled.

SNP's Robertson says governments "have choices" about what
economic policies they implement. He calls for an end the
austerity and says the Tories have chosen to support "those who
are wealthiest in society".

Green Party leader Lucas says it's "down right insulting" for
Rudd to suggest this government is looking after the country's
most vulnerable people. Britain's
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas speaks during the party's general
election campaign launch in central London February 24, 2015.
Britain will go to the polls in a national election on May
7.REUTERS/Stefan
Wermuth

19:40 — OPENING STATEMENTS

Leanne Wood says May's "campaign of soundbites is falling apart"
and that she's "afraid" to defend her record.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas says this election is an
opportunity for Brits to secure a "new kind of politics".

Amber Rudd says the only question to consider is who the
public wants in number 10: Jeremy Corbyn with his "money-tree" or
Theresa May who has a "clear plan".

Corbyn says this election is a chance to create a Britain "for
the many, not the few" and says five more years of Conservative
rule will be anything but "strong and stable".

UKIP's Paul Nuttall says his party "will always put the interests
of British people first".

And finally, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron says Theresa May isn't at
the debate tonight as she could be busy valuing your house in
order to pay for social care.

19:29 — HERE WE GO...

Strap yourselves in.

19:25 — LEANNE WOOD TO KICK US OFF

Here is your running order for tonight's proceedings. Plaid's
Leanne Wood — who had an impressive showing at the ITV debate in
Manchester — will be kicking off the opening statements. May's
Tory understudy Amber Rudd will be having the final word of the
evening.

Just over 10 minutes to go until we get underway and Labour
leader Corbyn is feeling confident.

He originally planned to abstain any debates that Prime Minister
May wouldn't be partaking in but has changed his mind at the
eleventh hour. He is feeling relaxed and confident ahead of
tonight's debate, a source close to him tells me.